Switching apparatus.



C. AALBORG & A. H. BAKKEN.

SWITCHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. I913. 1,253,660. Patented Jan. 15, 191&.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. AALBORG & A. H. BAKKEN.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 056.26. 1913.

Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I INVENTQQS q M 1% m ATITORNEY UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG AND ANDREW H. BAKKEN, 'OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNORS T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COB.-

PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern. 7

Be it known that we, CHRISTIAN AALBORG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, and ANDREW H. BAKKEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to switching apparatus, and it has special reference to the construction of such group switches as are employed in connection with control systems for railway motors.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide apparatus of the above indicated character which shall be simple and com pact in arrangement, and which shall em- .body a plurality of unit switches of the electro-pneumatic type, which are assembled in side-by-side relation and are supported upon a plurality of rods or pipes, one of which constitutes the supply pipe for the operating fluid.

Another object ofour invention is to provide simple and effective means of connecting the pneumatically operated artsof the several unit switches to the uid-supply pipe, and also to provide ready means for clamping the unit switches thereto.

In a co-pending application, Serial No. 808,745 filed of even date herewith bv Christian Aalborg and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company a group switch comprising a plurality of complete and independent unit switches is disclosed, the unit switches severally having supply chambers which register, the one with the other, when the units are assembled to constitute a continuous supply p It is our purpose to improve the construction set forth in the above mentioned appli' cation and to utilize one of the supporting pipes as a fluid-supply pipe.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partially in section and partially in side elevation, of a device constructed in accordance with our invention, 'and' Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, an end view and a plan view of a portion of the apparatus 7 shown in Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 26, 1913. Serial No. 808,746.

Patented J an. 15, 1918.

tion and each comprises a body member 4.-

having a supporting arm to which relatively movable cooperati g contact members 6 and 7, an operating mechanism 8 and a blow-out device 9 are attached in a suitable manner, and an integrally associated portion 10 which constitutes part of an electromagnet 11 and a fluid valve 12, and to which a fluid actuated device 13 for moving the movable contact member 7 and operating mechanism 8, is attached.

Inasmuch as the contact members 6 and 7, the operatingmechanism 8, the blow-out de: vice 9, the eleetro-magnet 11, the valve mechanism 12 and operating mechanism 13 form no material part of our invention, except as they constitute elements in a useful combination, no description thereof will be given. It should be understood that any other suitable devices for accomplishing the same results in the same general manner may be employed. All of the parts hereinbefore recited are associated with the body member 4 and constitute a complete and unitary structure.

The valve mechanism 12 is contained within a valve chamber 16 and operates in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art to control the admission and release of operating fluid to the actuating device 13. The valve chamber 16 has an opening 17 communicating therewith which is centrally disposed with respect to a projecting lug or boss 18. The boss 18 is adapted to fit into a corresponding opening 19 in the pipe 2. An opening 17 in the pipe 2 communicates with the interior thereof and the passages 17 and 17 register, the one with the other, to deliver operating fluid from the pipe 2 to the valve chamber 16 where it is governed said pipe while its upper arm 23 rests against a portion 2a of the body member 4:. A bolt 25 projects through an opening in the middle portion of the member 21 and is. provided with a nut 26. The bolt 25 has a head 27 which is adapted to be received by a slotted opening or recess 28 1n the portion of the member 4. The recess 28 is provided with a flange 29 with which the head of the bolt 25 engages and is open at one side to permit of the sidewise entrance of the bolt 25 and bolt head 27 as indicated clearly in Fig. 2. A recess 31 is provided on the inner and upper side of the clamping member 21 and is adapted to receive a projecting lug 32 which forms a part of the body member 4 for the purpose of preventing a twisting movement of the clam and for maintaining it in its intended re at1on to the pipe 2.

As many unit switches as desired may be assembled in side-by-side relation and independently supported upon the rod 1 and pipe 2 and be provided with a communlcating passage to said pipe for the purpose of admitting an operating fluid. Such a type of construction is peculiarly advantageous to large commercial manufacturingfor the reason that the complete unit switches may be kept in stock and may be assembled readily and at relatively small expense, in the manner hereinbefore described, to form a switch group to meet any desired requirements.

It is to be expected that the structure and arrangement of parts herein set forth may be modified in various respects without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention and still secure the benefits and admeager said boss and an openin to communicate with said passage in sai' boss, and meansfor attaching said switch to said pipe.

near one end with a stationary contact mem-' ber, a movable contact member pivotally mounted upon said body member, a fiui pressure-operated apparatus for the movable contact member located near the other end of the body member, and a supporting and fluid-pressure-conveying pipe for said apparatus.

3. In a switching device, the combination with a supporting rod, of an elongated stationary body member having one end clamped thereto, a stationary contact member mounted near that end, -a movable contact member pivotally attached to the body member to engage the stationary contact member, an electricallycontrolled, fluidpressure-operated apparatus for the movable contact member located near the other end of the body member, a fiuid-pressure-conveying pipe for said apparatus, and means for clamping the switching device to said pipe as a support.

4. In a switching device, the combination with a supporting rod, of an elongated sta- -tionary body member having one end secured thereto and provided near that end with a stationary contact member, a cooperating movable contact member pivotally mounted upon said body member, a fluidpressurecontrolling valve structure integrally related with the other end of said body member, a fluid pressure operated mechanism for said movable member attached to said structure and extending substantially parallel to said body member, and a supporting and fluid-pressure-conveying pipe for said structure clamped to the outer side thereof.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 18th day of Dec,

CHRISTIAN AALBORG. ANDREW H. BAKKEN. Witnesses:

ALVA G. Como, B. B. I-IINEs. 

